A study by the firm UTOPIES reveals the massive but ignored dependence of the French economy on the ocean, an underestimated strategic issue.
With World Water Day approaching on March 22nd, and with 2026 marking the entry into force of the treaty on the protection of the high seas, the consulting firm UTOPIES has published a groundbreaking study entitled « The Ocean: A Blind Spot in Business Strategies. » Conducted in partnership with Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), and Seafoodia/Pure Ocean, this report highlights a striking economic reality: the ocean, a pillar of the French economy, remains conspicuously absent from the strategies of companies, whether located on the coast or hundreds of kilometers offshore.
A systemic economic dependence
Far from the cliché that limits the maritime economy to fishing or seaside tourism, the study reveals that nearly 40% of jobs in France, or 11 million positions, depend directly or indirectly on the ocean. Direct dependence, linked to resource exploitation or maritime infrastructure, accounts for 14.4% of jobs (3.9 million). But the largest, and least known, share is indirect dependence, which affects 26% of jobs (approximately 7 million) through supply and subcontracting chains.
Certain sectors are particularly exposed. For example, the trade sector sees 32.3% of its workforce, or 1.25 million people, affected by this interdependence. Other sectors, such as agri-food, hospitality, logistics, and even business services, are structurally linked to marine ecosystems. This situation creates systemic vulnerability : ocean degradation directly threatens assets, industries, and millions of jobs.
Underestimated impacts, and far from the coasts
The study highlights a paradox : while businesses depend on the ocean, they also contribute massively to its degradation, often without realizing it. The report points out that « 80% of marine and ocean waste is generated by land-based activities . » The ocean, therefore, begins far from the shore, deep inland, via waterways that carry agricultural pollution, industrial waste, and plastic debris.
The example of Greater Paris is particularly striking. Although it has no coastline, the Île-de-France region is the leading French employment hub linked to the ocean. It concentrates more than 350,000 jobs directly dependent on the ocean, particularly in logistics, and nearly 800,000 jobs indirectly linked to ocean value chains. This reality demonstrates that environmental responsibility towards the ocean is the business of all territories, including the most inland.
The Mediterranean basin, a textbook case
To solidify its analysis, UTOPIES focused on the Mediterranean watershed. This territorial approach highlights a high concentration of environmental impacts in areas with high economic density, such as the Bouches-du-Rhône, Hérault, and Rhône Valley. Industrial activity, fishing, and coastal tourism exert considerable pressure there.
The study also highlights the complexity of these interconnections. Some of the impacts observed in the Mediterranean originate from activities located on the Atlantic coast, such as the Mediterranean fishing sector, which is indirectly linked to major ports like Le Havre and Brest. According to the firm, this detailed mapping of impacts is a crucial tool for developing effective and collaborative protection strategies among the various economic stakeholders.
Blue efficiency, a new strategic path
Faced with this dual reality of massive dependence and underestimated impacts, UTOPIES does more than simply raise the alarm; it proposes a path forward: « blue efficiency. » This concept aims to transform the relationship between the economy and the ocean by replacing fossil or terrestrial inputs with locally sourced marine resources, sustainably harvested. Algae, shellfish, fishing by-products, and marine enzymes could thus become the raw materials of a new regenerative economy.
This approach opens up opportunities to create low-impact local value chains, develop low-carbon materials, and strengthen the resilience of territories, particularly island economies heavily reliant on imports. The study concludes with a clear call to action: » What businesses have learned to do for the climate, they must now do for the ocean . » Integrating this blue dimension into business models is no longer an option, but a strategic necessity for sustainable performance. UTOPIES ( https://utopies.com/ ), a pioneering French consulting firm specializing in sustainable transformation, used its Local Footprint® methodology to quantify these economic interactions.
source : presse agence
